Floor marking device



March 27, 1951 J. KAHLER 2,546,308

FLOOR MARKING DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 1948 3/ INVENTOR. m Jaw/v AAHL H? Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,546,308 FLOOR MARKING DEVICE John Kahler, Lincoln, Nebr. Q, Application December 29, 1948, Serial No. 67,787

2 Claims. (Cl. 216-) This invention relates generally to marking devices and particularly to a machine adapted for applying adhesive or gummed tape or the like to surfaces such as gymnasium floors where the tape may serve as boundary lines. v

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a simple, efficient and relatively inexpensive device for applying tape to gymnasium floors or otherflat surfaces for the purpose of quickly laying out game areas, limit lines and the like. Lines or markings outlining areas of play are commonly applied to gymnasium floors by painting. 'However, if durable paint is used, such lines are not readily removable and, if non-permanent material such as white-wash is used, the lines are quickly obliterated.

It is frequntly desirable to change such floor markings to better accommodate various games.

Devices for laying tape to provide or to lay out marking lines which are removable have also been proposed, but these devices of the prior art have numerous disadvantages, the elimination of which constitutes another main object of my invention.

, .A further and more specific object of 'my in- ;yention is the provision, in such a tape laying device, of an improved means for supporting rollsof tape of various widths and accurately centering and guiding the tape as it is applied to the floor.

11" Other and further features and objectsof the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specifications, wherein is disclosed a single exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a tape laying machine constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in top elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal, vertical sec tion of the device taken generally along the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view in perspective illustrating the structural details of the tape centering and guiding device employed in my tape laying machine, and

Figure 5 is a view in vertical transverse section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

2 Referring now-to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1 thereof in which a main frame 13, supported by rigidly mounted, spaced wheels I, is adapted to be pushed along a floor by means of the handle l2, guided by the operator with the help of a pointer I3 detachably mounted on the forward end of the frame I0; I A roll I4 of adhesive or gummed tape or the like is supported in the tape container l6, the tape Hi! being passed downwardly over the tape moistening device ll, then through a guiding and centering device [3 and beneath the pressure roller [9 which member serves to apply the moistened, glued tape, or adhesive tape, as the case may be, to the floor surface. The wheels II are mounted on stub shafts 2| secured, by means of brackets 22, to the underside of the reinforced, plate-like main frame Ill. The wheels are thus held in fixed alignment. Removably mounted in the forward end of the frame I0 is the box-like tape container [6. The top of the tape container is provided with a semicylindrical 'recess 23 for reception of the roll of tape M, the roll being mounted on the pin 24 supported in slots 26 in the side walls of the container." The tape Ml passes fromthe roll, ads hesive side" down, through a slot 21 in the rear wall of the container.

The recess 23 is slotted out longitudinally along its bottom curved surface, as indicated at 28 and 29, for the reception of a, pair of semi-circular spacer plates or tape positioners 3i and 32. It should be understood that a plurality of these slots are provided to permit various spacings between the plates 3| and 32 so as to accommodate and center rolls of tape of various widths therebetween. The plates 3| and 32 are apertured as at 33 to facilitate their removal from the tape container. A weighted strap 30, hingedly attached to the tape container l6, as at 35, serves to prevent the tape on the roll M from loosening.

The tape moistening device ll comprises a generally rectangular container 34 secured to the frame it by means of the strap 36, a roller 31 being rotatably mounted on a pin 38 which member is received within slotted supports 39 in the side Walls of the container. The tape Ml passes under the transverse guide strap 4| and then over the roller 31, rotation of which serves to apply to the adhesive side of the tape, water or other wetting agent 42 picked up from the container.

The tape centering device [8 includes the guide 43 supported at a spaced distance above the main frame I 0 by the downwardly turned edges 44,

by the centering plate, will of course accommodate the maximum width of tape. Narrower tapes may be centered in the slot by'moving the centering plate forward in the guide 43, the plate.

being locked in the desired position by means of the thumb nut 52. The thumb. nut is. received on the stud 53, which member is secured to the guide plate and extends upwardly through the longitudinal slot 54 in the guide 43.

The pressure roller I9, under which the tape next passes, is of cylindrical shape and preferably molded of soft rubber or the like. The shaft 56, upon which the roller I9 is mounted, is rotatably and slidably mounted in vertical slots 51 in each leg of the bracket 58. Affixed to the shaft 55 are the angle members 59, each of which has an upwardly extending rod 61 vertically slidable in the fixed guides 62-. Springs 63 received on the guides bias the pressure roller I9 \downwardly to force the adhesive tape into intimate contact with the floor surface.

The pointer [3 extends forward from the frame H) a distance preferably equal to or greater than the longitudinal distance between the wheels whereby the device may be easily guided, by the operator, along a chalk line or the like, and whereby any tendency to depart from the guide line will be apparent to the operator.

Due to the rigid mountings of the wheels, the device will normally follow a straight course, when once started in theright direction. The device will lay tape quickly and accurately along a straight line.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications thereof may be made by those skilled in the art. Such modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in. the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, a frame, supporting wheels mounted thereon in fixed relation, a tape container mounted on the frame, a tape moistener, a tape centering device and a pressure member all arranged in longitudinal alignment with the tape container, the said tape container having a recess therein generally semi-cylindrical in shape for reception of a roll of tape, a pair of spacer plates, the said recess having a plurality of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending slots therein for reception of the spacer plates, the tape centering device comprising a longitudinal guide having a transversely extending slot therein, a centering plate longitudinally slida'ble in the guide and having a plurality of transverse portions thereof notched out, and means for sliding and securing the said centering plate in the guide with said notched-out portions thereof in selective alignment with the said transversely extending slot in the guide.

2. In a device of the character described, having a roll of tape for application to a floor surface, a tape receptacle, means for laterally positioning the roll of tape in the receptacle, and a tape guide spaced from the tape receptacle and in alignment therewith, said tape guide comprising a guide plate having a guide slot extending transversely thereof, a centering plate having a plurality of openings of diiferent widths, the centering plate being mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the guide plate to permit selective alignment of the said openings with the said guide slot, and means for locking the centering plate.

JOHN KAHLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in. the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,866,549 Dina July 12', 1932 1,882,413 Edouart Oct. 11, 1932 1,985,191 Nottingham Dec. 18, 1934 2,116,407 Nissly May 3, 1938 2,192,290 O'Neal Mar. 5,1940 2,297,525 Anheuser Sept. 29, 1942 2,434,996 Gautier Jan. 2'7, 11948 

